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Tall Chocolate Candy Overload Cake with vanilla buttercream and chocolate candy decorations.

Chocolate Candy Overload Cake

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A tall celebration cake with soft vanilla-chocolate marble layers, fluffy vanilla buttercream, glossy milk chocolate ganache, chocolate bars, wafers, truffles, and mini chocolate-glazed donuts.

  • Total Time: About 2 hours 30 minutes, plus final cooling time
  • Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

Scale

For the vanilla-chocolate cake layers

  • 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk, reserved for the chocolate batter

For the vanilla buttercream

  • 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3–5 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine salt

For the milk chocolate ganache

  • 8 oz (226 g) milk chocolate, finely chopped
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream

For decorating

 

  • Broken milk or dark chocolate bars
  • Chocolate wafer cookies
  • Chocolate-covered wafer sticks
  • Chocolate truffles
  • Mini chocolate-glazed donuts

Instructions

  • Prepare the oven and pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment circles and lightly grease the parchment.
  • Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
  • Cream the butter and sugar. Beat softened butter and granulated sugar for 3–4 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Let each egg mix in before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl when needed. Mix in the vanilla.
  • Finish the vanilla batter. On low speed, alternate the flour mixture with the 1¼ cups milk. Begin and finish with flour. Mix only until combined.
  • Make the chocolate batter. Transfer about one-third of the batter to another bowl. Sift in the cocoa powder. Fold in the reserved 2 tablespoons milk until smooth.
  • Create the marble layers. Divide the vanilla batter between the three pans. Spoon chocolate batter over each portion. Make a few broad swirls with a knife or skewer. Do not over-swirl.
  • Bake. Bake for 25–30 minutes. Begin checking at 25 minutes. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  • Cool. Leave the cakes in their pans for about 10 minutes. Turn onto wire racks, remove the parchment, and cool completely.
  • Make the buttercream. Beat the butter for about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Add vanilla, salt, and 3 tablespoons heavy cream. Beat until light and creamy. Add more cream, one teaspoon at a time, only if needed.
  • Stack the cake. Level cooled layers if necessary. Put the first layer on the cake board. Spread about ¾ cup buttercream over it. Repeat with the second layer. Add the final layer upside down for a flatter top.
  • Crumb coat. Cover the entire cake with a thin coat of buttercream. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
  • Final coat. Cover the chilled cake with the remaining buttercream. Smooth the sides while keeping the tall cylindrical appearance. Chill for another 20–30 minutes.
  • Make the ganache. Put finely chopped milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until steaming but not vigorously boiling. Pour it over the chocolate and wait 2–3 minutes. Stir gently until glossy.
  • Test the drip. Allow the ganache to cool until it falls slowly from a spoon. Test one drip on the back of the cold cake. It should travel partway down the side rather than reaching the cake board immediately.
  • Decorate. Add ganache around the rim and spread some across the top. Arrange broken chocolate bars, wafer cookies, wafer sticks, truffles, chocolate pieces, and mini chocolate-glazed donuts in a loose cluster across the top.

 

  • Set and serve. Let the finished cake settle before cutting. For cleaner slices, use a sharp knife warmed with hot water and wiped dry between cuts.

Notes

  • Do not skip the extra 2 tablespoons of milk in the cocoa portion. Cocoa absorbs moisture, and this small addition helps the chocolate sections remain closer in texture to the vanilla cake.
  • Use room-temperature eggs, milk, and butter for smoother batter.
  • Weighing the flour is preferable. Use 360 g when possible.
  • Do not overmix after adding flour.
  • Do not frost warm cake layers.
  • Chill the buttercream-covered cake before adding ganache.
  • Always make one test drip at the back before decorating the visible sides.
  • If the ganache races downward, it is too warm. Wait a few minutes.
  • If it barely moves, gently warm it again.
  • Add the largest chocolate decorations first.
  • Add wafer decorations relatively close to serving time if you want them crisp.

 

  • Exact decoration quantities are intentionally flexible because chocolate bars, wafers, truffles, and mini donuts differ greatly in size.
  • Author: Elian Cove
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Additional/Chilling Time: 50 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American-style

Find it online: https://recipesmind.com/chocolate-candy-overload-cake/